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View Full Version : Update - 2000 Legacy Electronic Guage Problems



Ed Obermeier
12-18-2004, 10:28 AM
I wanted to post this information in hopes that it might be helpful to someone else. Turns out that according to the tech I'm dealing ith that this isn't that rare a problem. Not real common but more common than I'd been led to believe initially.

I waited until recently to put the boat in the shop to try to find the problem because I didn't want to be without a boat while I was still skiing. The dealer is 80 miles from home so I have to take a day off any time I go see them. Turns out it only took the tech about 15 minutes to find the damn problem...

I have PP so the only things I really missed was oil pressure (the boat has 300 hours on it and I change oil every 40 hours - I use the hour meter on PP to keep track of that anyway), water temp (I change impellers every spring), and fuel gauge (I always topped off before going out, a pain). But I didn't want to go forever like that.

As suggested I had checked and reworked all of the grounds first, no luck. Told the tech all of this, he replied "Let me look at something else first". First thing he did was to remove the computer box that controls the gauge package (Medallion electronic gauges - the box is located in back of the boat on the outside wall starboard side wedged in next to the gas tank, a huge pain in the ass to get to). He unplugged the two modular plugs that attach the wiring to it and the two water lines coming from the speedo pickups. He pulled it out as I wateched, held it next to my head and began shaking it back and forth. What did I hear?

The damn thing was full of water sloshing around! That is what killed my guages and why they acted so freaky before they went out.

Using only his hands, the tech worked the valve body where the water lines from the speedo's attach off of the module (which doesn't seem like a particularly stout setup to me). Inside are two o-rings, one for each of the pickup attachments where the water lines attach, with a pressure sensitive switch of some kind inside. Turns out that sometimes the o-rings don't seal properly or go bad for some reason allowing water into the unit, causing failure. Tech says he's seen it on other manufacturers also, not just Medallion.

The unit is being sent back to Medallion to see what they're going to do about it. This is the 2nd time I've replaced this unit, first time under warranty with about 150 hours on it. This one also had about 150 hours on it before it went bad. I expect them to replace it gratis, we'll see. Regardless I'll still have to pay for shop time I'm sure.

Again, I've posted this for the sake of giving eveyone some information to put in the bank just in case. A lot of the new boats have electronic guages similar (my buddies '04 PS 197 i.e.) and they're controlled by a computer box same or similar to the one in my boat. If you have problems this may be a good place to start.

Cheers and Regards, Ed

87 Blue Saltare
01-07-2005, 10:24 AM
Ed,
That's good news it was so simple. Bad news the part is so stupid. Thanks for your informative and helpful post and good luck getting back on the water soon.